6o Angling Travels in Norway. 



the journey were performed in fresh water, to all intents 

 and purposes devoid of food. 



As salmon commence to lose condition upon their 

 departure from the sea, it is fair to argue that they lose 

 the same in a proportion as the water becomes less saline, 

 and contains less food in the way of small fish. 



It is a fact that salmon feed largely upon the herring, 

 and in many districts the reason of the scarcity of fish 



in the river is explained by 

 the natives by theii' loitering 

 in the fjords after food ; but 

 when such excuses have been 

 made, the fishing has subse- 

 quently been indifferent, and my opinion is that by the 

 time the salmon leaves the sea for the fjord he is in 

 perfect condition, and his business is to seek the spawn- 

 ing-grounds, consequently I pay little heed to the herring- 

 detaining theory. 



The salmon is intent upon the business he has imme- 

 diately in hand, whether it be feeding, running, or breeding. 

 When he is feeding — I mean in the sea — he is rarely seen ; 

 when he is running he rarely, if ever, feeds ; and when he is 

 on the redds he bestows not a glance or thought upon other 

 matters. 



When we have had no fish in the river, I cannot 

 remember that many were being caught in the fjord 



